Frequently Asked Questions

Summer Program

About The Program

• How is LaunchX summer program different from other entrepreneurship programs?

  What makes LaunchX summer program different from other programs is that this is not a lesson in business plan writing or visiting several startup companies. It’s more than just an accelerator or an incubator. We don’t just tell you HOW to start a company; we show you the steps to identify a gap in the market and create a real-life business during the short duration of this summer program. We push you out of your comfort zone and set you up for startup success with a network of peers and mentors even after you leave the program. We have high expectations of our students who rise to the challenge to create something real and amazing.

• What will be the LaunchX Summer Program location in 2023?

  The program location and dates are located on each of the program pages.

  The 2023 application is now closed, though we encourage you to fill out our Interest Form to be notified when the application for summer 2024 becomes available.

  If you’re a high school student who is ready to change the world, we want you as part of LaunchX! It takes all types of entrepreneurial change-makers to come together, so if you’re an innovator, maker, designer, dreamer, explorer, visionary, coder, marketer, or just want to start something real, we want you! Take the first step today and start your application to LaunchX.

• How are the online and campus entrepreneurship programs different?

  For our entrepreneurship programs, both the online program and campus program are incredible, with the same opportunities to connect with our community of passionate aspiring entrepreneurs, leverage the LaunchX resources, and build your startups.

  The campus program will be priced to include the costs of housing and meals.

  The online program will include a slightly more dynamic curriculum given the flexibility that an online setting allows.

• How is the Innovation Program different from the Entrepreneurship Program?

  Our innovation program is different from our entrepreneurship program as students will not start their own company, but will grow their skills and mindset as problem solvers and business leaders as we challenge them to apply their learnings, leverage resources, and work together in teams to tackle challenges and innovate for an established company.

• Can I apply to multiple LaunchX programs?

  Yes! On your application, you will have the ability to specify which LaunchX program you are interested in and specify your preference. We recommend choosing multiple options on your application to increase your chances of acceptance. 

• What are the logistics for the online program structure?

  Students must have a computer with strong internet access that allows video streaming for the duration of the program as well as can handle live video simulations.

  Class schedule will be provided via Google calendar, with classes held via video conferencing software for our interactive classes, plus a course platform provided for course materials and submissions.

• What is the format of the summer program learning experience?

  The format of the learning experience includes classroom activities, case study discussions, and mentor meetings that will immerse you in the entrepreneurial process and push you to stretch the limits of what you thought was possible. Each day, you’ll learn from startup founders and industry experts who know first-hand what it takes to build a viable startup company. During the downtime of your scheduled class sessions, mentor meetings, and instructor check-ins, you’ll work with your startup cofounder team of 4-5 entrepreneurial peers to put these lessons to work - applying your newfound knowledge and skills to take your company to the next level.

  The learning formats include:

  • Core Curriculum - The core curriculum goes through the entrepreneurial process.It will be intense. And it will be worth it. LaunchX staff and outside professionals will lead you on the entrepreneurial journey through interactive classroom sessions, workshops, simulations and activities. These sessions require student engagement yet allow you to apply the lessons directly to your startup. You will stretch the limits of what you thought was possible and learn from Industry experts who know first-hand what it takes to build a viable company. You’ll work with your cofounder team to put these lessons to work—applying your newfound knowledge and skills to take your company to the next level.
  • Mentor Meetings - Mentor meetings with guest mentors will provide you with individualized and honest feedback. Whether challenging your business hypotheses, urging you out into the marketplace to collect more customer data, or helping you refine your pitch, these professionals will push you at every step to help your company grow.
  • Instructor meetings - Your team will have weekly check-ins with staff to ensure your company’s high performance through effective communication and collaboration strategies.
  • Group work time - You will spend a significant portion of the program working on your startup company. Many teams set up a daily meeting time plus allocate an additional ~2-3 hours work time per day to make all of the progress needed for their startup.
  • Discussion groups - Spend time internalizing session topics and dive deeper into discussion with your team.
  • Community and social events - We know how important the community is to the LaunchX experience! There are additional sessions each week where you will be able to come together with your fellow Launchies to share your interests, grow your skills with like-minded peers, and have some fun!

• Who will teach the classroom sessions?

  Classroom sessions will be taught by LaunchX staff, as well as by experienced entrepreneurs, business professionals, and university instructors. This includes both the core curriculum classes which goes through the entrepreneurial process (1-3 sessions per day), plus guest speaker sessions.

• Will there be homework or graded assignments?

  There are not traditional grades, though teams are expected to be making consistent progress on their startups, and students must attend their core curriculum classes plus all elective classes to which they sign up. They are also expected to be actively present in all of their classes which includes having their videos on and engaging in discussions.

  LaunchX is about starting real companies, not about an academic experience, so we expect students to take responsibility for their own progress, meet daily with their teams, and commit fully to the process.

• Will I get academic credit for going through the program?

  No—no credit is available through our program.

• Is financial need support available?

  Yes, financial need based support is available.

  The LaunchX team wants the program to be accessible to students who are admitted. For this reason, admission is need-blind, meaning that it will never hurt your chances of getting in if you require financial assistance. Both domestic and international students can apply for financial need assistance if their family’s income for the previous two years was under $100,000. The amount of financial need is determined on a per-student basis and can’t be defined until we review all of the necessary financial paperwork that verifies the family’s income.

  To apply for financial support, indicate your interest in applying within the application form, including answering the additional questions. Admitted financial-need students will need to provide income statements (typically tax documents showing income of both parents) for the past two years, though additional information may be asked to understand the family financial status. Bank statements may not be used as a substitute to show income documentation.

  We also offer application fee waivers to students who provide evidence of need.

• Can I leave for a few days during the summer program?

  Students may not have absences on weekdays when there are classes and events. Your absence detracts from your learning and your team's progress. While weekends do not have mandatory events, students often get a lot of work done on their startups during weekends, so we advise not having full weekend trips during the program. Enough absences will result in removal from the program.

Campus Program

• What is the COVID-19 safety protocol?

  The current health and safety protocol is that to attend a campus program, students must be fully vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19 and submit their vaccination information.

  In the event of severe illness while on campus, a student may be quarantined and the parent or guardian would need to pick the student up within 24-48 hours.

• How are rooms and roommates assigned for the campus program?

  Rooms will differ based on the university and specific residence hall. Most often, students will share a room with one roommate. In some special circumstances, you may live in a suite (many rooms attached to one common area), you may have two roommates, or you may not have a roommate at all. Young women and men will never be assigned to the same room.

• What facilities does the campus program housing have available?

  Facilities will differ by campus and according to the dormitory that our program is placed in for the summer. Before you arrive on campus, we will let you know what facilities will be available so you can know what to expect.

• What is included in the campus summer program fee?

  Campus summer program fee is inclusive of all weeks of the summer program, plus room and board. The program fee covers staying in a university dormitory, 2-3 meals per day throughout the program, classroom activities, some prototyping costs for each team’s startup, several optional social activities, and the staff needed to deliver this program. The program fee does not cover travel to or from the program, activities not organized by the program, laundry, spending money, travel insurance, or other expenses.

Program Logistics

About Your Company

• How are co-founder teams formed?

  There are many components that are taken into consideration to increase the chances of co-founder team alignment and success, such as:

  • Amount of passion team members feel towards the opportunity / problem to be solved
  • Variety of experience and qualifications
  • Complementary skill sets
  • Balance of personalities
  • Geographic / time zone considerations (taken into account for teaming in the online program to allow easier coordination to meet outside of class sessions)

  We ask some targeted questions throughout the admissions process and once you’ve been admitted to help us better understand who you are and what types of people you’ll work with best. Questions about your experience and skills, personality, and the types of problems you’re interested in solving help us to determine who to team you with. You’ll find out who is on your team a couple weeks prior to the summer program.

  Because teaming is so important, our process for building co-founder teams is very iterative—we’re always asking ourselves “how can we form stronger teams?” and experimenting with new tactics.

• Do I need to have a business idea I plan to pursue prior to apply?

  No. We’ll have a process to help you come up with ideas through some of the pre-work and first few days of the program, though we emphasize the value of solving a real problem over the specific idea. The process will guide you in keeping an open-mind as you search for opportunities that fit within your passions, skills, and current market trends. We’ll teach you how to critically assess these opportunities and adapt your chosen opportunity to improve viability and value. You may come in with an opportunity you have already started, though other students will have to want to pursue it in order for a team to move forward with it during the program.

  It’s important to remember that while it might be your original opportunity, you are now working with a well-equipped team of brilliant peers with whom you need to find a common vision of success—both for the summer and for the continued growth of the company. Ideas are a dime a dozen, with most having been thought of or even worked on before, so success comes down to execution. To execute well, you need all the skill sets of your team.

  If you do come to LaunchX with a business idea, keep an open mind and be willing to adapt in response to new market research and new ideas. Almost all ideas change from their origination to actual implementation, especially in successful companies, and your teammates will be well positioned to bring a fresh perspective. Humility and openness to feedback is key.

• Will I pitch to venture capitalists to raise money for my company?

  No. The purpose of LaunchX is not to raise investment funding and you will not be doing this as part of the program. While LaunchX students are able to accomplish an incredible amount—launching viable companies in just a month’s time—no students have ever left the program with enough traction to start pitching to VC’s (venture capitalists). You’ll have a lot more work to do after you leave the program to be ready for investment.

  That said, you will learn how to pitch at LaunchX and will be prepared to pitch your startup to a variety of audiences. The program culminates with LaunchX Demo Day, during which event you will have a prepared video and do a live Q&A for a panel of mentors and receive critical feedback on your business that will help you take them it to the next level. It is possible that someone on your mentor panel may be an investor (note that there are several types of investors and not all of them are venture capitalists), but you should not expect this and you should certainly not seek investment from them at this early stage of your company.

• Will LaunchX take any equity in my company?

  No. LaunchX does not take equity in companies started in our program.

Eligibility and Admissions

• I was admitted to LaunchX but I’d prefer to participate next year. Can I defer my enrollment?

  No, unfortunately, we don’t offer an option to defer the admissions enrollment.

• Can international students apply for the program?

  International students are encouraged to apply to LaunchX.  There are some considerations for each of the application portion and program portion to consider.

  Program Considerations for International Students

  Campus Programs

  International students may apply if they have a visa that would allow them to enter and stay in the United States for the program, but LaunchX does not offer student visas or support applying for visas. Visas also vary from country to country, and our office is not international visa experts, so we are not equipped to answer questions on whether or not your visa will allow you to attend.  

  Please note that international students will also be required to pay an administrative fee in addition to the program fee that covers costs such as international health insurance for the program (required).

  Online Program

  The online program takes into consideration student time zones for classes, teaming, mentorship, community events, and more.  Your summer cohort is within a few time zones, allowing you to build community with peers who will be in similar time zone after the program as well.

  Application Considerations for International Students

  If you're uncertain about how your school marks translate to the US grading or GPA system, not to worry. Help LaunchX to calibrate your school’s grading system as much as possible. You simply need to submit enough material to allow our admissions team to gauge your academic strength—and don’t be afraid to provide extra explanations so that it’s clear what each of your marks means.

• What is included in the LaunchX summer program fee?

  The program fee is inclusive of all weeks of the program experience, discounted heavily from our in-person program, with more personalized features plus lengthened to increase startup success. The program fee covers course platform access, classroom activities, some prototyping costs for each team’s startup, several optional social activities, and the staff needed to deliver this program.

  If you have affordability concerns, please don't let this stop you from applying—we offer need-based financial support packages based on family financials. More information is also provided on the program page.

  There is also an application fee for the summer program, which can be waived with proof of financial need.

• When can I apply?

  The application for the 2023 summer program is closed.

  We encourage you to submit an Interest Form to be notified when the application to the 2024 summer program becomes available.

• What grades and ages may apply?

  Students in current grades 9-12 (freshman through senior, or international equivalent) may apply. This means that you must be in grades 9-12 when you submit your application. This equates to going into grade 10-12 or graduating during the summer of the program. Exceptions will NOT be made for advanced middle school students taking high school level classes, nor for graduated students in a gap year. There are no age requirements outside of the grade requirement.

• What application materials are needed?

  Note that we do not require or accept test scores or recommendation letters. There is an optional recommendation form, though it is not a written letter. Ensure you make note of this prior to asking a recommender to fill it out.

  Application materials needed include:

  General Information— The first section of the application asks for basic personal information. We ask you to self-identify some demographic data. If you don’t see a fitting option, not a problem—there is space provided for an open-ended response. We also ask you to select if you will need financial assistance to attend the program. LaunchX is need blind. This means that your family’s financial status will not negatively impact your chances of acceptance in any way. This question will simply allow us to assess the potential for an application fee waiver, and will let us know to send you a financial need application if admitted.

  School Information & Transcripts— In this section, we ask you for information about your school and performance. Your grades and transcripts are the least important part of the application, and they have little impact on whether or not you’re accepted into the program, though they provide some insight on your academic rigor and learning propensity.

  Activities— Here, we want you to give us a sense for your passions, interests, and your ability to create real impact. We want to see that you are motivated and action-oriented in pursuing the things that matter to you. Show us that you are entrepreneurial—an ambitious and purpose-driven self-starter who rises to the challenge. Be brief! Include your role and explain the impact that you made, but please do not use this space for sentimental or philosophical reflection.

  Video— Ensure you address the prompt and stay within the time limit. Get started on the video early!

  Portfolio— This is an optional section for applicants who may have created individual projects outside of traditional activities, or to share photos of some of the innovations that you may not have otherwise been able to share. They are typically longer-term individual projects in the fields of coding, making, or design.

• Does my transcript need to be official?

  No. A scanned copy of your unofficial transcript will be sufficient. We will not accept a mailed copy, so please use the application to submit only. It must be in English, cover all years of high school education and include an explanation of the school’s grading system. We do not accept middle school transcripts as substitutes for students early in high school. We also do NOT accept updated transcripts past the deadline of the application round to which you apply. This means that if you really want to have your current semester grades as part of your application, you need to apply regular round. Sorry, you can’t apply early round and email us your transcript later.

  Your transcript can be picked up from your school’s registrar or your counselor, or if your school uses an online grade reporting system such as Naviance, you may upload the transcript you find on there.

  Ensure that the transcript covers all years of high school that you have attended so far. If you attended more than one school during high school, please combine the transcripts into one file to upload.

  If your school does not provide a grade point average (GPA), you can calculate yours using the calculator provided in our application.

• What is the advantage of applying early?

  Early admissions candidates are able to find out their admissions status in advance of the regular admissions candidates. Also, applying early allows you to be compared against a smaller pool of candidates with a typically higher yield of acceptance. We do not accept application materials past your application round deadline, though, so consider your timing carefully. This is particularly relevant for freshman applicants, since you will likely not have received your first high school transcript by the early application deadline, limiting our ability to assess your academic propensity. We encourage freshman applicants to apply in the regular round, as we do not accept middle school transcripts.

• What are the LaunchX admissions committee selection criteria?

  The LaunchX admissions committee selection criteria includes looking for candidates who show initiative, action-orientation, coachability, and a fit with our values. We look for students who show to us that they have what it takes to become successful entrepreneurs. There are no minimum grade or activity involvement requirements.

  Great applicants have a proven track-record in working successfully with teams to create exceptional impact. It isn’t about coming up with ideas—it’s about the work you put in to see them through.

  Entrepreneurial—You take initiative to push yourself outside of your comfort zone. Impact-Oriented—You don’t just care about what you do, you care about creating real results. Committed—You pour yourself intensely into your passions and you persevere. A Team-Player—You’re able to collaborate dynamically and put team goals before yourself.

• What is the LaunchX application review process?

  The application review process is not based on the timing of your submission (with the exception of reviewing early applicants during the early admissions round and regular applicants during the regular admissions round. The admissions committee may also be reviewing from various locations geographically, so please do not read into any YouTube analytics for any signals. Also, every application gets at least two reviews.

• Are there any things that will hurt my chances of being admitted?

  Once you are admitted into our program, you become a part of our community and brand, so we expect you to conduct yourself in a way that represents our community and brand in a positive light. If we learn about misconducts or misrepresentations that we feel do not represent our community, your candidacy will be removed.

  Additionally, we ask that you please exercise patience in waiting for an admissions decision. Respecting this request allows us to focus on reviewing applications to ensure we can get decisions out as quickly as possible for everyone.

• How will I find out if I am admitted?

  Admission decisions will be emailed to applicants by the date listed on the program page using the email address used to register the application. Please ensure this is the email you would like to be used for contact. A select number of students will be placed on a wait list.

• Should I email LaunchX if I have not yet received an admissions decision?

  Please refer to the program page for the dates that decisions will be released. We ask that you please exercise patience in waiting for an admissions decision. Respecting this request allows us to focus on reviewing applications to ensure we can get decisions out as quickly as possible for everyone.

• Is there an application fee?

  Yes. The application fee is $75.

  The fee can be waived with proof of financial need.

• Are scholarships/ financial support available?

  Yes, financial need based support is available.

  The LaunchX team wants the program to be accessible to students who are admitted. For this reason, admission is need-blind, meaning that it will never hurt your chances of getting in if you require financial assistance. Both domestic and international students can apply for financial need assistance if their family’s income for the previous two years was under $100,000. The amount of financial need is determined on a per-student basis and can’t be defined until we review all of the necessary financial paperwork that verifies the family’s income.

  To apply for financial support, indicate your interest in applying within the application form, including answering the additional questions. Admitted financial-need students will need to provide income statements (typically tax documents showing income of both parents) for the past two years, though additional information may be asked to understand the family financial status. Bank statements may not be used as a substitute to show income documentation.

  We also offer application fee waivers to students who provide evidence of need.

Get In Touch

• How can I speak to a member of the LaunchX team?

  The best way to connect with a member of the LaunchX team is by emailing us: info@launchx.com.

• How can I connect with LaunchX on social media?

  Follow us on social media—

  Facebook: /launchxed

  Twitter: @launchx

  Instagram: @launchxed

  YouTube: /launchx

  LinkedIn: /launchxed